The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is unable to expand the development assistance it provides to opium poppy growers in southern Shan State because the government has not yet granted travel permission to its international staff, UNODC country manager Jason Eligh has told Mizzima.

A urban transport plan for greater Yangon will need to be funded from a variety of sources, including the government, international loans and private sector contributions, a public meeting was told on May 12.

Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone will be implemented in December next year, 13 months later than scheduled, Deputy Minister of Railway Transportation U Myint Thein is reported to have told a meeting in the Rakhine State town on May 7.

The United Nations childrens’ fund, UNICEF, has unveiled a multi-million dollar work plan for Rakhine State which it says will continue to close the gap in health, education and development opportunities for children.

A multi-donor trust fund established by the World Bank, the UK's Department for International Development and the Australian government will provide US$55 million worth of finance to support the modernisation of Myanmar’s public financial management systems, it was announced on April 2.